USA > Illinois > Whiteside County > The biographical record of Whiteside County, Illinois.. > Part 18
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In youth, Gabriel Davis and wife were confirmed in the Episcopal church by Bishop
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Potter, and during their early years were actively associated with the work of that denomination. Their lives have been noble, and patterned after that of the Master whom they have followed. Quiet and unas- suming, they have delighted in aiding those in need, and have given liberally to suffer- ing humanity and worthy causes.
C YRUS H. WAITE is one of Prophets- town's most esteemed citizens, who was for many years prominently identified with the business interests of this locality, but is now living a retired life. A native of Grand Isle county, Vermont, he was born in the shadows of the Green mountains, July 28, 1830, and is a son of Downer and Al- mira (Hillyard) Waite, who were born in the same house on a farm in Grand Isle county. There the birth of a daughter also occurred. The father was born July 8, 1804, and was a son of Gardner Waite, a native of Providence, Rhode Island, and a grandson of Luther Waite, a native of Wales. The last named had fourteen sons, twelve of whom were soldiers of the Revo- lutionary war, and two were wounded and crippled for life in the battle of Bunker Hill. Our subject's maternal grandfather, Miner Hillyard, was one of the defenders of the country during the war of 1812. From Rhode Island, Gardner Waite, the paternal grandfather, removed to Highgate, Vermont, where he followed the occupation of farm- ing and reared his family. The parents of our subject continued to reside in Vermont until after the birth of three of their chil- dren, and then removed to St. Lawrence county, New York, where the father became the owner of a valuable farm of six hundred acres. There he died March 10, 1885, at
the age of eighty-one years, and his wife passed away in 1873, at the age of sixty-five years.
Our subject is the oldest of the ten chil- dren. five sons and five daughters, born to this worthy couple, all of whom reached years of maturity, and three sons and three daughters are still living. William is a resi- dent of Erie, Illinois; Byron lives near Kan- sas City, Missouri; Cynthia is now deceased; Melvina is the wife of Silas Duvall, who lives on the St. Lawrence river in St. Law- rence county, New York; Sally married John Carney and both are now deceased; Almon and Forest are also deceased; Hannah is the wife of Follet Johnson, a farmer of St. Lawrence county, New York; and Saman- tha is the wife of John Hickcock, of the same county.
Cyrus H. Waite grew to manhood in St. Lawrence county, New York, and as he received but limited school advan- tages, he is almost wholly self-educated. He assisted his father in the operation of the home farm until twenty-four years of age, and then came west, arriving in Morri- son, Illinois, September 24, 1854, on the first passenger train running from Sterling to that place. The following day he camne to Prophetstown, where he joined a few Vermont friends, and here he worked at the carpenter's trade for twenty-two years, many of the residences and barns through- out this part of the county showing his architectural skill and handiwork. His first purchase of land consisted of two hundred and forty acres in Portland township, which he bought in partnership with his brother William, and in 1863 he located thereon. Two years later, however, he sold that place and purchased other land, owning at different times four farms, which he oper-
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ated in connection with work at his trade for forty-four years. He is still the owner of a fine farm of two hundred and forty acres, which is now carried on by his son- in-law, Clayton Seely, while he lives retired in Prophetstown, enjoying that rest which should always follow a useful and honorable career.
In this county, Mr. Waite was married, April 13, 1855, to Miss Catherine Noble, a native of St. Lawrence county, New York, who was reared and educated in the same neighborhood as our subject. She died on the home farm December 11, 1891, and was laid to rest in the Prophetstown ceme- tery. To Mr. and Mrs. Waite were born eleven children, eight sons and three daughi- ters, namely: Myra, wife of F. W. Reynolds, of Prophetstown; Celia, wife of Charles Turner, of the same place; Douglas, who holds a business position in Prophets- town; Downer, a carpenter of that place; 1). Clinton, a lawyer and farmer of White- side county; Fred, also a farmer of this county; Almon, who holds a business posi- tion in Chicago; H. H., a lawyer of Proph- etstown; Zelia, wife of Clayton Seeley, of Portland township; William, who holds a business position in Chicago; and Luther, who is now attending school in Valparaiso, Indiana. Mr. Waite also has six grandchil- dren: Kate and Gordon Reynolds; Richard and Almira Turner; and Pearl and Henry Waite, children of D. Clinton.
Originally Mr. Waite was a Jeffersonian Democrat in politics, and in 1860 supported Stephen A. Douglas,. the " Little Giant," for the presidency, but in 1864 voted for Abraham Lincoln, and has since been an ardent Republican. He has never sought office, but was elected and served for one term as supervisor of his township, and as
a stanch friend of our public schools, he most efficiently served as a member of the school board for several years, being clerk and president of the district a part of the time. He was initiated in Spring Hill lodge, F. & A. M., in January, 1864, and joined the Prophetstown chapter, R. A. M., about 1878. For many years he has been an active and consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and for about thirty years had served on the official board and as superintendent of the Sunday school. His honorable, upright life has gained for him the confidence and high re- gard of all with whom he has come in con- tact either in public or private life, and he has a host of warm personal friends through- out his adopted county.
G EORGE W. OLMSTED. The natural advantages of this section attracted at an early day a superior class of settlers, thrifty, industrious, progressive and law- abiding, whose influence gave permanent direction to the development of the local- ity. Among the worthy pioneers of White- side county the Olmsted family hold a prominent place, and the results of the labor and self-denial of those past generations is manifest in the comfortable homes and fertile, well-arranged farms which we now find here.
George W. Olmsted is a native of this county, born in Prophetstown township, September 9, 1838, and is a son of Oliver Olmsted, who was born and reared in New York, but in 1835, when a young man, he came to Illinois and took up a claim of one hundred and twenty acres in Prophets- town township, Whiteside county. Later he entered the land and transformed it into
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a fine farm. He prospered in his new home and became the owner of five hundred acres of valuable and well improved land. His last days were spent in retirement from active life in Prophetstown, where he also owned property. In this county he mar- ried Electa Hunt, a native of New York, and a representative of one of our pioneer families. He died in Prophetstown in 1884, and she passed away at the home of her son in Council Bluffs, lowa, about 1892.
Our subject is the oldest of their eight children, seven sons and one daughter, the others beings as follows: Oscar, now a farmer of Sumner county, Kansas; John W., a resident of Furnace county, Ne- braska; Alonzo, who was a member of the Ninth Illinois Cavalry during the Civil war and died of camp fever near Atlanta; Rosal- tha, a stenographer of St. Louis; David R., a gardener and fruit grower of Council Bluffs, lowa; William E., a resident of Seattle, Washington, who has recently re- turned from the Klondike after having met with good success in the gold fields; and one son who died in infancy.
Mr. Olmstead, of this review, was reared in this county and educated in common and select schools. Prompted by a spirit of patriotism, he enlisted in October, 1861, in Company L, Ninth Illinois Cavalry, which was assigned to the Army of the Tennessee, and he participated in a number of impor- tant engagements under the command of General A. J. Smith. He was first under fire during a skirmish in Arkansas, and later took part in the battles of Guntown; Jack- son, Mississippi; Black river bridge, which structure he helped to burn; and Holly Springs; Tupelo; Corinth and Iuka. In the command of A. J. Smith he was all through
the Mississippi campaign, and in a raid at Hurricane creek he was wounded August II, 1864, losing the two middle fingers of his right hand by a gunshot. Thus permanently disabled he was sent to a hospital in Memphis, and from there returned home. Ile was mustered out and honorably dis- charged at Springfield, in the fall of 1864.
The following winter Mr. Olmstead en- gaged in teaching, and for eleven years he successfully followed that profession through the winter months, while during the summer season he engaged in farming. In 1866 he removed to Kossuth county, Iowa, where he purchased a tract of raw land and engaged in farming for three or four years. He then returned to Whiteside county, Illinois, and in 1874 bought an interest in an elevator in Prophetstown, where he was engaged in the grain and stock business for twenty years as one of its most active, enterprising and progressive business men. After selling out his business he bought a well-improved farm of one hundred and sixty acres one mile from Prophetstown, and he still owns a fine farin of four hundred acres in Kossuth county, Iowa, besides a small place within the corporate limits of Prophetstown. He devotes a part of his time to gardening and looking after his farm, but is now practically living retired.
Mr. Olmstead was first married in Prophetstown, in the spring of 1866, to Miss Fanny Greene, a sister of John J. Greene, and a native of New York, who came to this county during childhood. She died in 1886, leaving three children, namely: Jessie, wife of C. J. Warner, a banker of Prophetstown; R. W., at home; and Stew- art E., a member of the Thirty-second United States Infantry. In Plano, Illinois, in 1888, Mr. Olnistead was again married,
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his second union being with Miss Mary Rice, a well-educated lady and successful music teacher, who was born and reared in Massachusetts. To them have been born four children: Vincent, Hubert, Irene and Burnett.
Since casting his first presidential ballot for Abraham Lincoln, in 1860, Mr. Olmsted has been an ardent supporter of the Repub- lican party, but has never been a politician in the sense of office seeking. Ile has been a member of the school board here, and while a resident of Iowa served on the board of supervisors for one term. He and his wife are active members of the Method- ist Episcopal church, with which he has been officially connected for a quarter of a century, and he has also served as superin- tendent of the Sunday school, while his wife has been a teacher in the same. Frater- nally he holds membership in the Grand Army Post of Prophetstown. Although he started out in life for himself in limited cir- cumstances, he has by his well-directed and energetic efforts and good business ability become the passessor of a handsome compe- tence and his honorable, straightforward course has gained for him many friends who appreciate his sterling worth and many ex- cellencies of character.
JAMES H. BAIRD, a well-known resi- dent of Prophetstown, is the possessor of a handsome property which now enables him to spend his years in the pleasurable enjoyment of his accumulations. The rec- ord of his life, previous to 1898, is that of an active, enterprising, methodical and sa- gacious business man, who bent his ener- gies to the honorable acquirements of a 9
comfortable competence for himself and and family.
Mr. Baird was born in Perry county, Ohio, January 7, 1834, and is a son of James Baird, whose birth occurred in Wash- ington county, Pennsylvania, in 1793. The paternal grandfather, who bore the name of Hugh, was born in Ireland of Scotch- Irish ancestry, and was one of the first set- tlers of Washington county, Pennsylvania, where his death occurred. Later, about ISTO, his widow, with her family, removed to Perry county, Ohio. There the father of our subject wedded Miss Mary Wilson, who was also born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, in 1794, and was of Scotch- Irish descent. Her father, John Wilson, came to the new world in 1778, and about IS10 removed to Perry county, Ohio. She was a sister of Colonel R. L. Wilson, a prominent citizen of Sterling, Illinois, who was a paymaster in the army during the Civil war. The father of our subject be- came the owner of a good farm in Perry county, Ohio, where he died in 1839, at about the age of forty-six years. His wife survived him some years and reared their family. There were eight children, three sons and five daughters, all of whom reached man and womanhood, but one three are now living: James H., our subject; Samuel J., a fruit grower of San Diego, California ; and Mrs. Jane Upson, a widow, who now lives with our subject.
Mr. Baird, of this review, passed his boyhood and youth in his native county, where he attended the common schools, and for one term he engaged in teaching. At the age of nineteen he took charge of the home farm and business of the estate, and successfully carried on the place for twelve years. In the meantime he came to White-
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side county, Illinois, where he was married, May 24, 1864, to Miss Martha Brown, who was born, reared and educated in Perry county, Ohio, of which county her father, Isaac Brown, was a pioneer.
The next year after his marriage, Mr. Baird removed to this county, where he had previously purchased three hundred and eighty acres of partially improved land, on which a good house had been built and an orchard set out. To the further im- provement and cultivation of his place he at once devoted liis energies, and later ex- tended the boundaries of his farm, now own- ing four hundred and fifty acres of valuable and highly productive land all in one body. He remodeled the residence, built one of the best barns in the conuty and converted the place into a most desirable farm supplied with all the latest improvements. He suc- cessfully carried on general farming and stock raising until 1898, when he rented his farm and moved to Prophetstown, where he purchased one of the best residences in the place, it being a model of neatness and com- fort.
Mr. and Mrs. Baird are the parents of five children, namely: Ida, wife of Prof. J. G. Skinner, a teacher in the Chicago schools, by whom she has one child, Donald Baird; Zella, Mary E., Jessie and Emma, who are well-educated young ladies-grad- uates of the Prophetstown high school- residing at home.
Politically Mr. Baird has been a life-long Democrat and supporter of Jeffersonian principles. He cast his first presidential vote for James Buchanan in 1856, and has ever taken an active interest in political affairs. For almost twenty years he served as township trustee; was school director several years, and also president and secre-
tary of the board. He was one of the originators of and helped to organize the old drainage board, was elected one of the com- missioners and made secretary of the board, which capacity he has since most creditably served. This board has been the means of opening up and developing a large tract of land in this county, and has made about forty miles of ditches, the main ditch being twenty miles in length and extending from the Rock to the Green river. Religiously Mı. Baird, his wife and daughters are men- bers of the Congregational church of Prophetstown, and as a family they are highly respected and esteemed by all who know them. His life accords an example to the young in that he commenced life without capital, but having a determination to succeed he industriously applied himself until he is now the possessor of a handsome property. After a useful and honorable career he can well afford to lay aside all business cares and spend his last years in ease and retirement.
EDMUND BOWMAN. One of the pio- neer business men of Sterling is Ed- mund Bowman, now retired from commer- cial activities and quietly enjoying the in- come which he accumulated in former years. He has many interesting reminiscences of early days in this county, and well remem- bers Chicago as a small city of fifty thou- sand souls, as a larger town than Sterling, and Rock Falls when there was but one house in the place.
He is a native of Strasburg, Pennsyl- vania, born October 14, 1823. His father was Joseph Bowman, a life-long resident of the Keystone state, and his mother bore the name of Ann Brewer in her girlhood. They
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reared eight children to maturity, and lost five little ones. The father attained the ex - treme age of ninety-three years, while the mother lived to be eighty four years old. He was a clock manufacturer, making the celebrated old time-pieces now known as the "grandfather's clocks." Only one of this kind is owned at present in Sterling, Mr. Le Fevre being the fortunate possessor of the antiquity.
Edmund Bowman received a common- school education in his native place, and early learned his father's business. His first regular employment was with a jeweler at Kent Square, Chester county, and for a few years he worked as a journeyman in different towns in the Keystone state. In 1853, he came to Sterling, passing through Chicago, which still bore little promise of its great future. AAfter spending several years here in the employ of local jewelers, he opened a small shop on his own account, and conducted a gradually growing business until 1893, when he sold out his large and well equipped store, building and stock. He then invested a portion of the proceeds in a desirable piece of residence property on east Third street, and has devoted consid- crable attention to beautifying his home. He is one of the few remaining pioneers of the early 'sos, and is justly entitled to the high place which he occupies in the esteem of his fellow citizens, for he has sought, in every possible manner, to promote the wel- fare of Sterling, and has been very instru- mental in making it a beautiful, progressive modern city.
In 1856, Mr. Bowman married Maria ['. Adams, whose birth had occurred in this county twenty years previously. Her par- ents, Van J. and Mary (Ritchie) Adams, natives of Ohio, were among the very ear-
liest settlers in this region, as they located on a farm near the Lee county border, in 1834. There they spent the remainder of their busy, useful lives, being respected and loved by all who knew them. Of their five children, two are living to-day: Mrs. Bow- man and her brother, Robert Adams, of Michigan. Six children blessed the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Bowman: One died in in- fancy; Frank, who is married and has two children, is employed in the law office of Mr. Green; Grant J., unmarried, is engaged in real estate and mining operations at Spokane Falls, Washington; Edward J. is a teller in the bank at Dillon, Montana, and is married; Jennie, who has unusual musical ability, resides at home; and Louise, who pursued a two-years course of study at Lake Forest Seminary, also is at home. Mrs. Bowman is a member of the Congregational church, and is active in various religious and benevolent enterprises. Mr. Bowman was prominent in public affairs, but of late years has led a more quiet life. Nevertheless, he does his entire duty as a citizen, and politic- ally, he is affiliated with the Republican party.
W TILLIAM BLACKMER, residing on section 5, Tampico township, is one of its most enterprising farmers and stock raisers, and has been a resident of the county since 1867, since which time he has opened up a fine farm and done much for the general welfare of his township and county. He was born in Jefferson county, New York, February 10, 1847, and is the son of Hazard and Polly (Pratt) Blackmer. His mother dying when he was but a child, he was taken by Martin W. Wright and wife, of Jefferson county, New York, with whom he found a home for ten years. For
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that worthy couple he has always had a warm spot in his heart for the kindly interest they took in a poor orphan boy. It was with great pleasure in 1896 that in company with his wife he made a visit to the aged couple and spent a delightful time, recall- ing his early experience in life.
Mr. Blackmer was reared to farm life, and has been actively engaged in agricult- ural pursuits, with the exception of a short time spent in Prophetstown, from early childhood to the present time. His educa- tion was limited to the common schools, and the knowledge now possessed has mostly been acquired since arriving at man's estate. In his youth the war for the Union was in progress, and his blood was stirred with patriotic ardor. On the roth of September, 1864, when but seventeen years old, he enlisted in Company H, One Hundred and Eighty-sixth New York Vol- unteer Infantry, and with his regiment joined the Army of the Potomac, his first engagement being at Hatchie's Run. Later he was in the battle of Petersburg, where he was wounded in the left side by a frag- ment of shell, and for two weeks following was in the field hospital. Rejoining his regiment he continued with it in active service until the close of the war, being honorably discharged June 14, 1865.
Returning to his home in Jefferson county, New York, Mr. Blackmer remained there two years, engaged in farm labor, and then came to Whiteside county, Illinois, where he has since made his home. On his arrival he commenced work at odd jobs by the day, and the winter following he spent in chopping cord wood in the Dutch bottoms, clearing off a small tract of land which he had purchased the previous year. The next season he was employed by the
month, after which he rented land which he cultivated until his marriage.
On the 31st July, 1870, Mr. Blackmer was united in marriage with Miss Louisa France, a native of Ohio, and daughter of Solomon and Margaret (Willtrout) France, who were also natives of Ohio, where their marriage occurred. From Ohio they came to Whiteside county in 1854, settling first in Erie township, from which township they moved to Fenton township, and still later to Tampico township, becoming one of the pioneers of the latter township. To Mr. and Mrs. Blackmer eight children have been born, as follows: Lillie V., now the wife of Abner Bryson, a farmer of Tampico township; William, married and engaged in farming in Tampico township; Myrtle, wife of William Clark, of Prophetstown town- ship; Nellie, wife of Charles Meltzer, of Walnut, Illinois; Charles, Clifford, Jennie and Roy, at home.
After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Black- mer settled on the farm where they now re- side, Mr. Blackmer having purchased one hundred and eighty-six acres of raw swamp land, which he commenced to improve. He first built a small, rough board house in which the family lived while he was making further improvements on the place. Ditches had to be dng, the land tiled and drained, and other changes made, all of which required time and means. The means for doing the work had to come off the place, but in due time the old board house gave place to a more substantial dwelling, barns and out- buildings were erected and comfort reigned. On that farm the children were born, and there he lived until 1893, when he moved with his family to Prophetstown, in order to give his children the advantages of the schools of the place. From the Prophets-
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town schools two of his daughters gradu- ated with honors. In 1897 he returned to the farm and resumed the life with which he had become familiar through long years of toil.
Politically Mr. Blackmer is a stanch and life-long Republican, having cast his first presidential vote in 1868 for U. S. Grant, since which time he has never failed to vote for the nominee of the party for that high and exalted office. While taking an active interest in politics he never cared for official life, but by reason of the interest he has always had in the public schools he served for about twenty-five years on the school board, the greater part of the time serving as clerk of the board. Fraternally he is a member of Prophetstown post, G. A. R.
For thirty-two years Mr. Blackmer has been a resident of Whiteside county. On his arrival the southeastern part of the county was but little improved, being much of it swamp land. These lands have since been well drained, and are now among the most productive in the county. He com- menced life here with but very little means, but having the determination to succeed he went to work, and working early and late, and with the assistance of his wife, and later by his children, as they grew to mature years, he has a valuable property, and is in a position to enjoy life. His acquaintances are many in the county, and by all he is held in high esteem.
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